Not ‘KALAM’.. His Advisor…

Former Indian President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam’s educational advisor, renowned Astronomer, Dr Hafiz Saleh Muhammad Alladin passed away, on Monday, after a brief illness at the age of 80.

Early today many people in India thought the news of Hafiz’s death was actually that of former President Kalam, but those fears proved unfounded, the ever popular former leader is in good health.

Hafiz completed his PhD (Astronomy) in 1963 from Chicago University in the US. Later he joined as a professor in Osmania University at Hyderabad. He was then elected as director of the University’s Centre of Advanced Study in Astronomy. His famous research was on the solar and lunar eclipses of 1894.

He published more than 50 papers in his tenure, and was the recipient of countless awards including the Meghnad Saha Award 1981 from UGC New Delhi, Man of the Year 2000 American Biographical Institute USA. 2000 Outstanding People Medal, International Biographical Centre Cambridge UK 2003, Bharat Excellence Award, among the many, many others.